Yigal Azrouël never met a fabric he couldn’t drape. The Isreali-born designer of French Moroccan heritage, who shows his Spring 2011 womenswear collection today and his menswear collection tomorrow, is a master of the artful swoop of cloth that makes a woman look ultra chic and sexy. Since launching his own line in 1998, he has become synonymous with a louche, citified kind of dressing emphasizing cool layers, luxe materials and an attitude rooted in sportswear—clothes that are meant to be worn every day.
The relaxed silhouettes in both his women’s and men’s line (launched in 2007) are undone yet elegant, and even his tailored pieces—like fall 2010’s lineup of beautiful, architectural suits—are easy and effortless. Armed with a faithful crew of editor fans and an ever widening circle of celebrity clientele, Azrouël branched out in 2010, launching both a dedicated shoe collection and lower-priced ready-to-wear label called Cut 25, while building an ecommerce site that launched less than a week ago. The Inside Source caught up with Azrouël as he was preparing for Fashion Week.
The Inside Source: Let's start with your Fall 2010 collection, which is in stores now. What was your inspiration?
Yigal Azrouël: I was very interested in tailoring and a masculine/feminine play on silhouettes.
TIS: What is your favorite piece in the women's fall collection, and what are some different ways a woman can style it?
YA: It’s not one piece but rather one silhouette. I think every woman should have a well-tailored jacket in her closet. As a head-to-toe pantsuit, it looks powerful and very fresh. It should be a jacket that has a great fit and some touch of uniqueness. The opening jacket has removable shearling sleeves—I think consumers love versatility and that feeling of getting more looks out of one item is special.
TIS: What direction are you taking for Spring?
YA: I am really having fun with color and prints. I have darker tendencies in my palettes and I started the spring collection slowly exploring some vivid colors, and now it has evolved into something I really enjoy.
TIS: How much do your men's and women's collections influence each other?
YA: I think my menswear strongly influences my womenswear, even if it seems subtle to someone seeing the collection on the runway. By subtle, it can be how a proportion is created. I can have my fit model try on items from the menswear collection and it can be the slouchy, boyfriend feeling of the drape that I love. Of course with the sartorial approach, that offers a more obvious influence.
TIS: You have been showing men's and women's together. Why separately this season?
YA: Both collections deserve to have their own platforms. There are natural tendencies to compare one to the other when they share the same runway and they really are separate existing entities.
TIS: Your collection is often described as "ultra-cool"—what does cool mean to you?
YA: It’s more about a disposition. I think it’s really about an effortless approach and being comfortable with yourself—not contrived or complicated.
TIS: Between expanding accessories and launching an ecommerce site, you’ve been busy. What’s next?
YA: There are a lot of happenings with the collection and business. We have gotten more assertive with our accessories growth: handbags and scarves. I also just launched my first full shoe collection, which will retail for spring 2011. The launch of the new ecommerce has been something we have been working on since the beginning of the year. It’s a robust site that offers a full product range and has some unique ways to shop my collections and interact with the site.
TIS: What inspired you to launch Cut 25?
YA: Retailers were approaching me for some time about offering my design aesthetic at a more attainable price point. It was something that I have been thinking about for some time and realized that there was an opportunity.
TIS: Design-wise, how is it different from your main line?
YA: The voice is similar, but has a bit more youthful and casual feeling. Nothing in the collection is too serious or contrived.
TIS: What's behind its name?
YA: Cut 25 is a combination of me and my passion. “25” has been a very important number for me; from my birthday to residences and lucky events, it has been consistently relevant. Cut is what I focus on in design. When you try on a piece of clothing and it looks and feels great, it’s all in the cut.
TIS: Which of your fellow designers do you admire most?
YA: There are a lot of talented designers that I admire, many for different reasons. I like a lot of the Belgians and their approach to design. What I admire most is the ability to be consistent while constantly evolving.
TIS: How often do you search eBay?
YA: It comes in waves. Sometimes I won’t be on it for months, but then when I am looking for something, it’s a daily obsession.
TIS: Do you remember your first search on eBay?
YA: My first search, which did not make it to a purchase, was antique mannequins. I drape on mannequins so I love having an assortment or shapes and sizes.
"These are the things that interest me, and as a designer I like to see how they evolve over time," the designer told us.
**Images provided by Yigal Azrouël.**
No comments:
Post a Comment